WEF Warm Up Rings
My favorite place to shoot at major horse shows like WEF isn’t the big grand prixs or even the hunter derby… It’s the warm up ring. Sure, there’s no huge action there usually but I feel like the warm up ring is the pulse and the life of the horse show.
Sure, there’s a lot of waiting (and hurrying!) but those dull moments look thoughtful and peaceful to me as a photographer.
After you play the waiting game for a while, it’s time for a little schooling and some last minute details. Especially with hunters, you can’t forget to prim everything!
The warm up ring is where you return from the ring – hopefully all smiles after a round well done. Maybe if you’re lucky, you have a new stash of satin to add to your collection.
My absolute favorite part about the warm up ring are the special moments you can catch between horse and rider if you’re patient. After all, we ride because we love horses and we show because we love being emerged in that world.
24 thoughts on “WEF Warm Up Rings”
As always great pictures!
Thanks!
LOVE the photos – you are so right about the warm up being the heartbeat of the showgrounds and the best place for candid moments between horse & rider/groom.
My favourite pictures from above are the stolen moments & the pile of satin!
Although to be fair i love all the photos! What camera and lense(s) do you use? 🙂
I hope all is well with Simon!
Should have another Simon update tomorrow. I get to lunge him and turn him out tonight as long as he looks better than he did on Tuesday. As for my camera, I use a Canon 60D with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens. It’s an older lens and heavy as all get out, but it takes great pictures for my purposes – which are pretty much just my personal enjoyment and this blog!
I love the precious moments. You are very talented. Beautiful photos!
Thanks!
LOVE LOVE LOVE 🙂 Such great pictures! You are amazing!
PS. I still want to hear about your working at Smartpak 🙂
Yes, I need to figure out how to write about that experience still. haha
Super photos! I totally agree with you, the warm-up is the most interesting place to be at a show.
It can also be the most terrifying place with people trying to crash into you.
Beautiful photos!
Thank you!
Love them! Everytime I see you’ve posted more WEF pics I get excited to see if you’ve captured friends of mine on camera 🙂
I hope I got some pictures of them! Although I’m running out of amateur/youth shots, so if you haven’t seen them already I doubt you will.
Absolutely gorgeous photos!!!
Thank you!
all the hunter ponies are so shiny and fat! 🙂
great photos, I especially love the last set of horse and rider moments!
Love me some fat hunters 🙂
Seriously. These are astounding photos. The one with the stack of ribbons is unbelievably beautiful. You are very, very talented. Interested in moving to California, specifically to my neck of the woods? :0)
Find me a job where all I have to do is take pictures of beautiful ponies and I’m there! 🙂
love the pics! totally jealous of your talent!
Anyone can take pictures, I think it’s largely practice with a creative eye.
Love the pat-on-the-neck close-up! The warm-up is my favorite place to watch, too. Sooo much more going on/more to see than the main ring(s).
Yeah, plus the warm up is where the drama llama usually decides to show up… and that can be entertaining!